FinallyNey Pleads Guilty, Will Congressional Republicans Give Back his Money?

The Morning After Neys Hand-Picked Candidate Wins the Special Election to Run to Replace Him, Ney Drops the Bombshell Everyone Expected

(Washington, D.C.)  Today, just hours after Ohio Republicans selected Joy Padgett  Bob Neys hand-picked choice  to replace him, Bob Ney himself will plead guilty. Ney struck a deal with federal prosecutors after months of speculation and years of questionable behavior. He had consistently denied wrongdoing, and as recently as this summer, repeated claims of his own innocence. Prosecutors must have disagreed, however, and as each of Neys colleagues went before them and struck deals, they named Ney  or Representative #1  as a major player in each of their allegedly illegal acts.

We knew this day was coming and now that Ney has decided to trade the back room for the courtroom, will Neys Republican beneficiaries do the right thing and return his tainted money? asked Bill Burton, communications director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Ney has sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to his Republican friends and his case shows how widespread the corruption is in Washington. Its time for new leadership and a new direction in Washington because American families deserve honest leadership and an end to the story of corruption in power.

As Ney pleads guilty today, many American families are wondering how closely their member of Congress is to this ring of corruption. In fact, Bob Ney has given at least $472,335 to Republican Candidates and Committees during more than a decade in Washington. Will Republicans do the right thing by the families they represent and send back Neys tainted money?

Ney Pleads Guilty in Abramoff Investigation. In the ongoing investigation into the influence peddling scandal involving admitted felon and former Republican super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Ohio Representative Bob Ney pleaded guilty Friday to making false statements and conspiracy to commit fraud and violating post-employment restrictions for former congressional aides. After months of denying wrongdoing, he becomes the first elected official to admit his guilt. [AP, 9/15/06]

Surrounded by Guilt, Neys Colleagues and Friends Also Make Plea Deals. Since the influence peddling and corruption charges started falling admitted felon and former Republican super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Ney and Abramoffs colleagues have all had their own run-ins with the justice department. Neys former chief of staff, Neil Volz pleaded guilty to bribery and corruption and prosecutors also won a conviction against former White House official David Safavian, who is also closely tied to Ney. Michael Scanlon, an aide to indicted former Republican leader Tom DeLay also pleaded guilty. He has admitted that he promised an Indian tribe that Ney would push legislation to re-open their casino. [AP, 9/14/06]